NWS Tornado Report #7

What a weekend. So far they are saying at least 12 tornados ripped through the DFW Metroplex. Thanks so much to everyone who checked in. Your concern is really appreciated. We even got calls from people we haven't heard from in years.

Cannot believe the luck that we only got hail and it did not damage anything beyound small chips and dents. To the near north and south they had baseball size hail!

Sunday I had gone to two plant nurseries and spent a bundle on new heat and drought tolerant plants. Just finished planting everything when the storm came in. They all were okay! Some of you may recall that last year during the drought and record heat my bird and butterfly garden took a hard hit.

Guess the serendipity of Sundays adventures left some good juju on the plants. We started with breakfast at Mimi's and could not resist crossing the parking lot to go see a gunshow at the new Lewisville Event Center.

If you have never been to a large gunshow, it is quite an interesting experience. Texas is a right-to-carry-concealed state. There were more hand guns and things to hide them with than you could shake a rifle at. However, there are so many places that you aren't allowed to carry concealed that really, why bother.

We did find the coolest flashlight ever and bought that. (I LOVE flashlights and have a bunch.)...probably should have bought two because both of us want to carry it.

Then we went to the two best plant nurseries north of Dallas. I was totally skippity do dah through them. Was good and kept to the scale garden diagram I brought with.

These are some of the assorted salvias I bought.

Here is a new miniture rose cultiver for 2012 called "Itty Bitty Pink". It is a rosa meilezpha type. May have to migrate a pink flamingo to the back yard to keep it company lol.

Now just for Ylee here are two WU pics he can see. The first is the start of the new garden. You may notice waaaaaaay too many iris on the right.

What happened is most of those are mustard yellow and about five are a beautifull sky-blue. When I did the frame and dirt makeover none of them were blooming. I have no idea which are the blue ones until they bloom. Hence, dividing and re-planting about 100 iris.

RE #23 & #26: I'm so glad the CAT scan was successful this time and both scans came out okay. That was a very good idea to not accept indifference from the chemo people and to see another doc. Now you have some reassurance and encouragement. Frankly, I'm surprised that oncology people aren't being more supportive of you. You can't be the only one experiencing worrisome symptoms.

GG, Yes, it is our "LOOOONNNNNGGGG WEEEKKKKK""'' the ones that seem never ending!

We are almost thru the 2nd long day of 4.. we can do this!!!!

Glad your Doctor has been thru what you are going thru now and can help you out. I have had family and friend/neighbors who have gone thru the radiation and chemo and it is very hard on your body. Good luck!!!!

Wow, I didn't even know how worried I was about your PET scan until I felt the relief from your good news. And I'd been wondering about the long-term damage – you need to exercise and rest! It's funny how folks think that once an illness or injury is “over” that that's all there is to it. No, the body needs time and care to get back to health. You'll get there!

I don't think I've said so yet, but I have come by several times to admire the pics of your lovely garden – it looks like a very pleasant place to hang out and relax, so, that's what I do :)

Happy that Roxie got all that extra attention at the pooch parade! Was it enough? ;)

Good morning GardenGrrl.It's good that you found a doctor that has experienced what your going through. I need one that has had a stroke. One doctor in the ER labeled my seizures as pseudoseizures as if I'm doing it for attention. At one time when the Queen brought me into the ER he said " Oh it's you and walked out of he room closing the curtain behind him", He was the one who made the first diagnosis and it seems that one doctor will not go against another's diagnosis.No mosquitoes here yet. I guess that's one advantage of living in cooler climes. The bug season is short.Have a great day.

Some more good news. Major surgery and chemo does lots of damage. The chemo doc and nurses are rather indifferent to the problems and tend to act like I'm being a baby or making stuff up.Went to see an ortho doc because my shoulders are sticking.

Turns out this doc has also been through chemo hell. He knew exactly what was going on with body parts sticking, phantom pains etc. Says I don't need surgery, just excercises and lots of time. Because I have feeling back in my fingers and numbness/tingling has gone away from other places he says these things shouldn't be permanent I should be back to my bad self in a year or two.

Hi Ylee, thhhplllth BEEP! BEEP! :-D

Hi Calpoppy, Grosbeaks are cool looking birds. Poor orioles, getting squeezed out by lazy bees.I think our hummers have poor eyesight. The female was trying everywhere at the red birdseed feeder until she gave up and found her feeder. Last summer the blackchin males who left all the other birds alone would dive bomb the chickadees. Guess they thought they were really big blackchin hummers lol.

Well, have to go run bunches of errands. Tomorrow starts the long week at the batcave.

Super news, GG!!! It has got to be stressful to wait for test results.

I used to have a daily roadrunner at the nursery. He would come in looking for fledgling sparrows and lizards.

Monday the Western Kingbirds showed up. They will stick around most of the summer and have their babies here. Today the Evening Grossbeaks showed up.

Still having major troubles with my oriole feeders. We had to go to a bee proof feeder, and I don't think the orioles are doing well with this one. I still have to brush veggie oil on the feeders to keep the bees off!

Pretty soon the hummers will be so used to you and the camera that you will be able to get very close!

Great News!Got the results from my PET scan. Nothing bad:)Was really sweating this. Never good to have your blood tests high and they want a PET scan right after the CAT.This was a stressful week. Glad thats over.

Also, saw a roadrunner today And got a great first picture of my local hummingbird. All Mondays should be this good.

Hi Prose, Oh dear, even more on-line photo resources. I'm just going have to start taking better pictures. Since Piknik got eaten by the evil Google, it is getting to be a bit much hunting for just the right thing to add to my photos.

Hi Calpoppy, Two Texas workhorses are the salvias and shrub roses. Since finding a "Fairy Rose" years ago...and it still is doing well I have always liked the minitures. This year have decided to give several a go.Have a Red Cascade miniture climbing rose. It has dime size blooms right now and tiny leaves. It's adorable. The new "Itty Bitty Pink" will have a test run. I'm currently searching for an "Apricot Drift" rose locally so I don't have to pay the shipping.Saw a "peppermint" red/whit flowered salvia at the nursery. Was tempted but it looks too engineered for my garden style.

Hi Ylee, yes indeed it is half price chocolate day. You took the words right out of my mouth; a Cadbury Creme Egg. Mmmmmmm. Locking on target ;)

Hi Mass, that gets the Golden Awwwwww award. What the world should be. Felt that way at the Parade. All types of people mingling, families, picnics, easter bonnets and people blowing bubbles. Kids playing ball by the creek. And of course every dog breed imaginable. All getting along. In that moment the world becomes filled with Hope.

A belated but heartfelt Happy Easter to you and yours! Glad to learn that you enjoyed this special day by participating in a few fun activities.

Hope your weather situation in Texas remains calm and peaceful for quite some time. Currently, in Mass., we're going through quite a potentially hazardous dry spell. Naturally, we're keeping a wary eye out, as we live in and around wooded areas. Mother Nature seems to be challenging or surprising many of us these days. May you remain safe and well in the days and months ahead!

Thought you'd also enjoy this adorable bunny pic, POSTED JUST ABOVE, by HopeinHim on April 1st and also found in Wunderground's AC photo gallery this past week.. It seems so fitting for this Easter Sunday and for springtime in general. Click on the bunny pic for a direct link to HopeinHim's photo and ENJOY!

Hi GG, dropping by today for Easters greetings! No time the last two days to do so.

Your beautiful rock wall is back and looking very, very good!! I love salvias, you just can't go wrong with them. I use salvia greggii a lot out here, they are pretty rabbit proof and the hummers love them. The minature roses are a lot tougher then people think! Especially the ones that are on their own root stock. I am so happy that many of the rose growers are offering roses on their own roots now, even hybrid teas. I happen to be a single rose fan mainly because they blend in so well with various perennials. There is quite a large rose called Dainty Bess (which is anything but dainty) which has a large single flower with very prominent stamens. Quite pretty in the background of a garden.

We had a wonderful Easter with my older son and his new girlfriend. They arrived bearing gifts, dark chocolate for me and an orchid plant, and salt water taffy for Mr. P. And the best gift a half a flat of huge strawberries from the strawberry fields down the hill. His girlfriend scored majors points with me!!

Your pooch parade sounds like a blast! Roxie should be loved and admired by all!!!!

Hello and Happy Easter All!We had a fun one. Finally had an Easter off so we went to the Dallas Pooch Parade. Roxie enjoyed all the people stopping to pet her.

The parade finished at noon and we managed to get in the car before the rain started. No loss though, that gave me time to call family far and wide to say hi.

Hi Ylee, I really hope we continue to have the luck of no severe injuries when the tornados show up again.JB weld, one of my favorites, sadly won't work on this. Am thinking of making a solid concrete cast and just painting windows on it.

Hi Gams, that is a neat graphic. I imagine today has been lots of fun at your place with all the grandkids and egg hunts.

Hi Pros, really like that frame. Which program did you use to get that one for your photo?

Hi Skyepony, Yes, I think the survivors and the new plants will do well. We are certainly getting lots of water, the rain gauge says an inch this afternoon.

Hi Juslivin, Thanks for greetings. Was the Easter puppy wild today with all the goings on?

Hi Sandi, pretty daffodil. Bet dinner at your house today was awesome. I still have a standing rib roast left. Might make it next week.

Hi Shore, how cool, you had a butterfly convention. That is one of those things that just connects you to the pure joy and beauty that can show up in this world.I tried PicMonkey for the Easter pic I sent around. It is nice.BTw, the steam punk egg, that really is what the Martha Stewart of geekdom would create. Can't wait to see the basket and robo-bunny.

Hi Karen, Iris are really some garden work horses. Dark purple sounds gorgeous. Around here through winter and summer heat they add some nice fill in green foliage when they aren't showing off their spring blooms.

Yes, tomorrow is indeed the 2nd National Half Price Chocolate Day of the year!

GG -what a beautiful garden you have! Too many irises? My mom just gave me some. Hers have been propagating, so she pulled some up for me. I just got some new leaves this year, so maybe next year I'll get some blooms. If they look like hers, they will be a beautiful dark, rich purple. I can't wait!

Hope you got some chocolate from the Easter bunny! Are you hitting the stores for some half price candy tomorrow???

GG ~ The garden is looking great! And that yellow rose is absolutely beautiful. Have you tried out PicMonkey yet? I think it's going to end up doing as good a job as I need, although I have made a new resolution to learn a few things about my camera and post-processing. I ended up purchasing Corel PaintShop. Now I need to get my photography up to the quality of my software. ;)

I thought of you this past week. I'm working on another boat that's in a canal behind a house. The house itself is surrounded by bushes with pink flowers - how's that for a description? It isn't Indian Hawthorne, it's too tall for that, but the flowers are equally dense. Just beautiful.

Anyway, one afternoon I pulled up and the whole line of bushes across the front of the house was covered with butterflies. They were medium sized, brown and black. I don't know what they were, either. Maybe this week I'll carry a camera and see if they show up again. But, when I say butterflies - I mean a hundred or more of them. There were clouds of butterflies. It was the most astonishing thing I've ever seen. A little rain is doing good things for everyone.

Which reminds me - did you get rain today? I saw TxStormChasers just mentioned on Twitter there had been some up that way. I hope it was just rain this time!

And, just in case the Easter Geek didn't make it by, here's an egg for your basket!

Lovely photos of your garden. I pulled up all my iris three years ago, trying very hard to get up all the corms. The following year I had no iris on display, but last year there were a few who found their way back. This year, already, I have loads of leaves showing! I have come to the conclusion that iris are the garden thugs!

I also saw in Linda's blog that Syd took umbridge at being fastened up during the storm... Oh, pets can be so ungrateful! Tell him, next time you will leave him to fend for himself!! lol

Good Morning, hope this posts. Yesterday left a comment in your blog (Ylee) and it wouldn't load. May need to switch browsers. Having trouble with all sites in last couple days.

The middle "sculpture" thing is part of a Japanese Lantern.The center of it broke and now I'm trying to find a replacement locally so I can stick the top back on. Freight charges would cost almost as much as buying a whole new lantern at todays prices. Here is a link to granite lanterns to give an idea what it looks like. Link

You're right, GG, that's a lot or iris, lol! Thanks for posting the photos! Is that statuary in the middle of the garden, or a birdbath with the top off? Cool to see your yellow rose; our rosebush is starting to bud like crazy; it's supposed to be near frost conditions early next week, so hopefully they won't get bitten!